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Ph: 410.547.8496 | Email: nbcc@nbccongress.org
Web: www.nbccongress.org
| | The Third Week of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday, invites Catholics to pause in joyful anticipation as the celebration of Christ’s birth draws near. Marked by the rose-colored candle and vestments, this week emphasizes rejoicing—not because the waiting is over, but because the promise of salvation is so close at hand. It reminds the faithful that Christian joy is rooted not in circumstances, but in hope: God is faithful, Emmanuel is near, and light is already breaking into the darkness. During this week, Catholics are called to rejoice, deepen their trust in God’s promises, and share that joy through acts of love, generosity, and mercy as they prepare their hearts to welcome Christ anew. | | Adobe Stock Image licensed to NBCC | | |
Strengthen hands that are feeble,
make firm knees that are weak,
Say to the fearful of heart: Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God, he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense he comes to save you.
Isaiah 35:3-4
| | "Little Drummer Boy" performed live by Daniel Oppenhuizen and Shaun Lloyd during Christmas with Hope 2021. | | Your Light vs Your Dark - Radical and Relevant - Matthew Kelly | | Adobe Stock Image licensed to the NBCC | | |
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
What are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and why do they matter?
By Frank X. Blisard • Catholic Answers
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are, according to Catholic Tradition, wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of God. The standard interpretation has been the one that St. Thomas Aquinas worked out in the thirteenth century in his Summa Theologiae:
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Wisdom is both the knowledge of and judgment about “divine things” and the ability to judge and direct human affairs according to divine truth (I/I.1.6; I/II.69.3; II/II.8.6; II/II.45.1–5).
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A Prayer for a Troubled World
Merciful and Almighty God,
you are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
Though the earth may tremble and nations be shaken, we place our trust in you.
We lift before you all who are affected by floods, storms, earthquakes, and war.
Extend your protecting arms over the innocent, bring comfort to the grieving, strength to the weary, and hope to those in despair. Heal the deep wounds caused by violence and loss, and calm the chaos that surrounds your people.
Bless and protect all who serve on the frontlines—rescuers, volunteers, healers, and all who offer relief. Grant them courage, wisdom, and compassion as they labor to restore life and dignity.
We especially pray for persecuted Christians throughout the world. Shelter them in your presence, strengthen their faith in the face of suffering, and grant them courage to remain steadfast in hope and love. May those who oppress be transformed by your truth, and may your Church be a witness of peace, mercy, and reconciliation.
Inspire leaders with hearts for peace and justice, and guide us to be instruments of your mercy, unity, and healing, so that all may live in dignity and security.
We ask this in faith and trust in you.
Amen.
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The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation
In this video, Jeff Cavins welcomes you to The Bible Timeline, a program which teaches you not only how to read the Bible as a narrative story, but how God invites you into this story of salvation history. Originally released in 2004, The Bible Timeline has reached over a million people. We hope it helps you grow in understanding God's Word. God wants to speak to you through Scripture today so you can grow in your relationship with his son, Jesus Christ.
| | The Rorate Caeli Advent Mass celebrated at The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. (Credit: The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion) | | |
Ancient Advent Mass gains new interest among younger Catholics
By Francesca Pollio Fenton for CNA
Advent is a season filled with rich Catholic traditions, but a slightly lesser-known one is growing in popularity among younger Catholics.
The ancient liturgy of the Rorate Caeli Advent Mass honors the Blessed Virgin Mary through a Mass celebrated at dawn, in complete darkness, and lit only by candles, which symbolizes Christ, the Light of the World, entering into the world with Mary as the vessel.
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What does the Rorate Caeli Mass Look Like?
Watch this Live Stream - Rorate Mass from St. John Cantius
| | Study shows most Americans who leave their childhood religion do so by age 30 | | |
Why Do Some Americans Leave Their Religion While Others Stay?
By Becka A. Alper, Patricia Tevington, Asta Kallo and Jeff Diamant | PEW Research Center
Many U.S. adults (35%) have moved on from the religion of their youth. Yet most Americans have not, including a majority – 56% – who still identify with their childhood religion. Another 9% weren’t raised in a religion and still don’t have one today.
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Rising Faith: America’s Catholic Youth Are Stepping Up
A massive line of young people were waiting patiently to receive Confession at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, in November 2025.
| | Adobe Stock Image licensed by NBCC | | |
Georgetown University joins efforts to honor lives of 200+ Black boys found in abandoned Maryland graveyard
From UniteNews
Georgetown University’s Center for Youth Justice is joining Prince George’s County, Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus, and the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services in their efforts to honor the 200+ Black lives buried in a recently discovered abandoned grave site.
The Forgotten Children Initiative says it is committed to “honoring the memory of incarcerated youth buried in abandoned and lost burial grounds throughout the United States.”
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VoiceAfrique Weekly Update
Catholic News Analysis from Africa by Africans, for Africa and the World
Monday, December 15th, 2025
Greetings from VoiceAfrique,
This week’s analysis reflects the living heartbeat of the African Church as it responds to conflict, innovation, ecological urgency, and the yearning for hope. From fragile peace processes that leave wounds unhealed, to the quiet digital transformation empowering women religious; from the moral demand of climate justice to the ecological witness of sisters; from the radiant faith of African youth in Advent to a summons toward disruptive hope—these reflections reveal a Church actively healing, discerning, and proclaiming the Gospel in complex times. We hope these insights support your discernment and ministry.
By Sr. Helen Kasaka, LSMI — PACTPAN Communication Director
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NCBS launches new grant opportunity
The National Council for Black Studies (NCBS) has received a $50,000.00 grant from the Tides Foundation to engage in community projects/activities related to helping communities “envision a world of shared prosperity and social justice founded on equality and human rights, sustainable environment, quality education, and healthy individuals and communities. With this kind of support, communities can engage the young and elderly in conversations and activities that help them remember and understand how African Americans and African descended peoples have created and implemented ideas related to historical and cultural freedoms in the past and in this current moment.
| | Teen Creates App That Helps Children Stay Connected To Their Incarcerated Parents | | |
by BOTWC Staff
The children will lead us! A teen created an app to make it easier for children to communicate with their incarcerated parents.
According to Black Enterprise Jay’Aine Patton knows firsthand the struggles of maintaining a relationship with a parent who is incarcerated. When her father Antoine was in prison she found it very hard to stay in communication with him, dealing the the woes of the prison industrial complex and the financial strain that comes along with that. While incarcerated, Antoine learned how to code, creating a website where children can communicate with their parents without charge. Upon his release, his daughter helped build out the site, developing a mobile app to go with it.
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The Favorite Foods And Eating Habits Of Pope Leo XIV
By Carlie Hoke | Mashed
You may be under the assumption that all popes throughout history are similar to one another. While they should all share a certain quality of holiness and goodness about them, they have all, in fact, been human and wholly unique. We don't have to look further than their meal and eating preferences to prove that uniqueness. While the dearly departed Pope Francis ate a limited menu of high quality ingredients, the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV has a taste for a wide range of dishes and beverages.
| | Official portrait of Pope Leo XIV distributed by Vatican Media | | From St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal | | |
VIRTUAL EVENT
Usher in the New Year with Prayer and Blessings.
Make 2026 a time of grace for you! Join us for an online holy hour from 11pm to midnight, December 31st, Eastern USA time. No need to register; just click the button below.
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VIRTUAL EVENT
Join our next young adult St. Gemma Project online session! Monday Jan 5, 2026
The St. Gemma Project is a young adult (18-30 years old) online webinar with Msgr. Rossetti, Exorcist and author, as he chats about the spiritual world, angels & demons, and much more!! St. Gemma herself was an exemplary young adult of great faith and had the stigmata (the wounds of Jesus) at the age of 21.
| | The 9 Days for Life Novena is an annual novena for the protection of human life. | | |
U.S. Bishops' 9 Days for Life Novena
The novena begins on Friday, January 16th and ends on Saturday, January 24th.
Join the thousands of Catholics across the country praying for the protection of human life. Starting on January 16, participants are invited to pray for, learn about, and offer small sacrifices for the protection of human life. Sign up to receive the daily prayers via email or text message!
| | | Your Help is Needed to Bring the Tolton Movie to Audiences Everywhere | |
Tolton Movie:
The Story of a True American Hero
Synopsis based on ToltonMovie.com
Enslaved in Missouri, Augustus Tolton’s mother makes a daring nighttime escape with her children, crossing the Mississippi River under gunfire to claim freedom in Illinois. From that hard-won freedom, young Augustus dares to dream of becoming a Catholic priest, even as he faces deep prejudice within the Church. Against all odds, his perseverance leads to ordination in Rome and a historic return to the United States as America’s first Black Catholic priest, serving people of every race.
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“We are so divided, and there is so much suspicion, fear and hatred in our culture. Father Tolton embraces Jesus’ words, ‘That they all may be one.’ ”
– Leonardo Defilippis, Director of Tolton Movie
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Support the Tolton Movie—now is the moment to ensure this powerful story reaches audiences everywhere.
With the film completed, a nationwide distribution and marketing campaign is underway so that families, friends, and communities across the country can experience the inspiring life and legacy of Fr. Augustus Tolton. This ambitious effort requires significant resources, and its success depends on generous supporters willing to give what they can. Every contribution helps bring this film to the screen and strengthens its mission to inspire hope, foster unity, and help heal a divided culture.
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The NBCC presents their Winter/Spring 2026 Webinar Series
The Winter/Spring 2026 National Black Catholic Congress Webinar Series invites Black Catholics across the nation to gather, reflect, and be renewed in faith, culture, and mission. Designed to inform, inspire, and equip participants for discipleship and service, these webinars offer a powerful opportunity to connect with a national community rooted in the richness of Black Catholic spirituality and committed to advancing the life of the Church.
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JANUARY 5, 2026 / 7:00-8:00 PM EST
Budgeting for Beginners: Step by Step
Presented by Joseph Cobb, CPA
“Budgeting for Beginners: Step by Step,” presented by Joseph Cobb, CPA, is an accessible webinar designed to help participants build confidence in managing their finances. Joseph breaks down the essentials of creating a practical budget, understanding income and expenses, and setting achievable financial goals. Whether you're just starting out or looking to strengthen your financial habits, this session offers clear guidance and simple tools to set you on the path toward better financial stewardship.
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JANUARY 20, 2026 / 8:00-9:30 PM EST
Forming Black Catholic Identity Through Spiritual Practices
Presented by Marcia Lane McGee & Shannon Wimp Schmidt
“Forming Black Catholic Identity through Spiritual Practices,” presented by Marcia Lane-McGee and Shannon Wimp Schmidt, explores how intentional spiritual practices can affirm, strengthen, and celebrate Black Catholic identity. Drawing from lived experience, tradition, and pastoral insight, the presenters guide participants through practical ways to integrate prayer, storytelling, ritual, and community life into faith formation. This engaging webinar offers both inspiration and concrete tools for nurturing a vibrant, culturally rooted Catholic identity within families, ministries, and parish communities.
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FEBRUARY 5, 2026 / 7:00-8:30 PM EST
From Burnout to Balance: How Boundaries Protect Mental Health
Presented by Dr. A. Mechelle Haywood
Join Dr. A. Mechelle Haywood for an empowering webinar that explores how intentional boundaries can safeguard emotional well-being and restore a sense of balance in daily life. Drawing from her professional expertise and real-world insights, Dr. Haywood will unpack the roots of burnout, offer practical strategies for setting healthy limits, and guide participants toward creating sustainable habits that nurture peace, productivity, and personal fulfillment. This session is ideal for anyone seeking to reclaim their energy, strengthen their resilience, and cultivate a healthier, more grounded approach to work and life.
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MARCH 10, 2026 / 7:30-9:00 PM EST
Bridging the Gap: Healing Black Generational Trauma
Facilitated by Dr. Ansel Augustine, with panelists Christian Bentley, Dr. Valerie Lewis Mosely, and Nyle Grimes
In this powerful webinar, Dr. Ansel Augustine leads a profound conversation on the realities of Black generational trauma and the paths toward collective healing within our communities. Joined by a distinguished panel of Black Catholic leaders—Mr. Christian Bentley, Dr. Valerie Lewis-Mosely, and Ms. Nyle Grimes—the session will explore the historical roots of trauma, its impact on faith and daily life, and practical steps for fostering resilience, restoration, and hope. Together, these voices offer wisdom, lived experience, and spiritual insight to help bridge divides, reclaim dignity, and strengthen our shared future.
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MARCH 18, 2026 / 12:00 NOON-1:30 PM EST
Catechesis from an Africentric Perspective: A Cultural Fattening House
Presented by Therese Wilson Favors
Presented by Therese Wilson Favors, this webinar offers a rich exploration of how Africentric values, history, and spirituality can deepen faith formation. In this engaging webinar, Mrs. Favors invites participants to consider the “Cultural Fattening House” as a metaphor for nurturing and strengthening believers through culturally grounded catechesis. Attendees will gain insights and practical approaches for integrating African and African American worldviews into ministry, helping communities grow in identity, faith, and purpose.
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APRIL 16, 2026 / 6:30 PM-7:30 PM EST
Worship Leading to Justice
Presented by Dr. Kimberly Lymore
Presented by Dr. Kimberly Lymore, this webinar examines the powerful relationship between authentic Christian worship and the pursuit of justice. In this insightful webinar, Dr. Lymore highlights how prayer, liturgy, and communal praise can inspire believers to confront injustice and live out the Gospel with courage and compassion. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how worship not only forms the heart but also propels the faithful toward transformative action in their communities.
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Treasures of the Church
Treasures of the Church is a Catholic evangelization ministry led by Fr. Carlos Martins that invites people to encounter the living God through expositions of saints’ relics. Each event opens with a presentation explaining the Church’s tradition of relics from a scriptural and catechetical perspective, followed by an opportunity for attendees to venerate the relics, inspiring renewed faith.
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Alcoholics Anonymous:
A Path to Recovery
and Hope
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a worldwide fellowship that has helped millions of people recover from alcoholism through mutual support, personal accountability, and spiritual growth. Founded in 1935, AA is built on the simple yet powerful idea that people struggling with alcohol dependence can help one another stay sober by sharing their experiences and committing to a common program of recovery.
Bill Wilson and the Birth of AA
Alcoholics Anonymous was co-founded by Bill Wilson (often called Bill W.), a New York stockbroker whose own battle with alcoholism led him to seek a new way of living. After repeated failed attempts to quit drinking, Wilson experienced a profound spiritual awakening that convinced him lasting sobriety required more than willpower alone.
In 1935, Wilson met Dr. Robert Smith, a surgeon from Akron, Ohio, who also struggled with alcoholism. Their shared conversation—one alcoholic speaking honestly to another—proved transformative. Together, they discovered that helping others was essential to maintaining their own sobriety. From this insight, Alcoholics Anonymous was born, eventually growing into a global movement that transcends culture, religion, and background.
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The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
At the heart of AA is the Twelve Steps, a set of guiding principles designed to help individuals achieve and maintain sobriety while fostering personal and spiritual renewal. Below is a paraphrased overview of the Twelve Steps:
- Admit powerlessness over alcohol and recognize that life has become unmanageable.
- Believe that help beyond oneself can restore sanity.
- Decide to place one’s will and life in the care of God, as personally understood.
- Take a searching and honest moral inventory of oneself.
- Admit to God, oneself, and another person the true nature of one’s wrongs.
- Become entirely ready to have defects of character removed.
- Humbly ask God to remove shortcomings.
- Make a list of those harmed and become willing to make amends.
- Make direct amends wherever possible, except when doing so would cause harm.
- Continue self-examination and promptly admit mistakes.
- Seek through prayer and reflection to improve one’s spiritual awareness and guidance.
- Carry the message to others struggling with alcoholism and practice these principles in daily life.
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Sobriety in A.A.: My Drinking Built a Wall
The video PSA “Sobriety in AA: My Drinking Built a Wall” illustrates how drinking can build a wall of isolation and take over a person's life, while emphasizing the hope and support available in AA for those who are looking for a chance at a new beginning without alcohol.
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RECOMMENDED READING:
The Practice of the Presence of God
Brother Lawrence was a man of humble beginnings who discovered the greatest secret of living in the kingdom of God here on earth. It is the art of "practicing the presence of God in one single act that does not end." He often stated that it is God who paints Himself in the depths of our soul. We must merely open our hearts to receive Him and His loving presence. For centuries this unparalleled classic has given both blessing and instruction to those who can be content with nothing less than knowing God in all His majesty and feeling His loving presence throughout each simple day.
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Search for Your Missing Money
Unclaimed property includes billions in uncashed payroll checks, stocks, credit balances, and more.
What is unclaimed property:
Unclaimed property consists of accounts and other financial assets that have been inactive for a certain period of time. Types of unclaimed property include: checking and savings accounts, uncashed payroll checks, uncashed stock dividends, insurance payments, inactive stock brokerage accounts, utility deposits, refund checks, money orders, traveler’s checks, mineral proceeds, and life insurance proceeds.
Each state and U.S. jurisdiction has an unclaimed property law that governs the length of time before a specific type of asset must be turned over to the state for safekeeping. Companies or Holders of potential unclaimed property are required by state laws to re-establish contact with the owner of the property. If attempts to contact the owner are unsuccessful, the property is transferred to the custody of the state for safekeeping and eventual return to the rightful owner.
MissingMoney facilitates the return of unclaimed money to the rightful owner by providing a multi-state platform to search for and claim forgotten funds.
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